NK Gallery– Studio, Home and Art Gallery Just off of H Street NE

BY PHIL HUTINET

Just outside 321 K Street NE. Photo by Phil Hutinet for East City Art.

Nihal Kececi has transformed a once dilapidated two-story brick structure, formerly used as a welding shop, into a work-live space that houses her studio, living quarters and an art gallery. Located just off of H Street NE between the 300 blocks of K and I (eye) Streets NE, the charming alley dwelling opened its first group exhibition Transformation on Thursday, September 11, 2014. For Nihal, the journey to creating her “dream space” followed a crooked path through several countries and a successful career as a scientist before settling into her true passion–painting.

Inside gallery entrance. Photo by Phil Hutinet for East City Art.

“Unlike many parents, my father encouraged me to go to art school at a young age but I decided to go into science instead” explains Kececi. Born and raised in Turkey, Kececi demonstrated a strong talent for drawing as a child and exhibited work at a young age in her native country. However, she chose to study physics and nuclear engineering eventually leaving her homeland to work on software analysis and safety in Canada.

Inside the gallery lounge. Photo by Phil Hutinet for East City Art.

Now, Kececi has landed just off H street and counts herself among the many artists who live and work in the area. An avid traveler with many international contacts, she plans to show a wide array of international artists not just from her native Turkey but from all over the world. The 1200 square foot gallery doubles as her living space between openings and appointments as Kececi has not set gallery hours.

One of many paintings that make up Nihal Kececi’s H Street series. Photo courtesy of the artist.

Pictured above, Kececi’s paintings straddles the line between the intuitive and the analytical as she creates work based on what she sees then intuits these images to produce familiar yet reconstructed streetscapes. Her time on H Street has already influenced her intuitive painting process and, as a result, she has dedicated a series to the street.

Phil Hutinet, a third generation Capitol Hill resident, is the publisher of East City Art, DC's Visual Arts publication, which he began in 2010. In 2012-2013, his consultancy work east of the river yielded the Anacostia Playhouse, Craig Kraft Studios, the Anacostia Arts Center and the 2012-2013 LUMEN8ANACOSTIA festivals. In 2015, he coordinated the Gateway Open Studio Tour. He currently produces EMULSION, East City Art's biennial regional juried show and oversees the ECA Foundation's Critical Arts Writing and Research Program. Hutinet has been interviewed by or has made appearances on the BBC, Capital Community News, Washingtonian, Washington City Paper, The Washington Post, WOL Radio, WJLA ABC News Channel 7/Channel 8, WTOP and other local and national media.